Family Innocence
Alternative Dispute ResolutionMinnesota, United States2-10 Employees
Family Innocence is a non-profit organization in the alternative dispute resolution field that aims to keep families out of court by resolving conflicts and injustices through a collaborative process. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, the group operates with a small team and provides the Family Innocence Process, which combines advocacy, restorative and family circles, and mediation to help separating or separated family members arrive at agreements without immediate litigation, and only uses court intervention when necessary to terminate a marriage. The process involves neutral facilitators who guide participants toward mutually agreed outcomes, with a neutral decision-maker available to resolve impasses on binding terms. The organization has a role within the family law ecosystem, with court jurisdiction and orders invoked only as a last resort, and it is listed on the Supreme Court Roster and Rule 114 qualified. The firm was founded by attorney Michelle MacDonald, reflecting a mission to reduce reliance on litigation after extensive experience in family law.